WJC candidate, son of outgoing president 'unite to lead organization into the future'

World Jewish Congress presidential candidate Ronald S Lauder has joined forces with Matthew Bronfman, the son of outgoing WJC president Edgar Bronfman in advance of next month's elections, Ynetnews has learned. Under the terms of the agreement, the Bronfmans will support Lauder's candidacy in return for Matthew being appointed chairman of the WJC's governing board. A jointly released press release said "Ronald Lauder and Matthew Bronfman have united in a bid to lead the World Jewish Congress into the future." Lauder, a billionaire, is a businessman and heir to a cosmetics empire, and also serves as President of the Jewish National Fund. He announced on Sunday that he will seek the presidency of the World Jewish Congress.

Lauder will be faced by Mendel Kaplan, Chairman of the WJC's board of governors, who is expected to formally announce her candidacy on Thursday. The statement quoted Lauder as saying, "We are combining our efforts to guarantee that the World Jewish Congress remains the strongest representative organization of Jewish communities around the world. We will continue reform of the organization, assure the WJC's financial solvency, and expand its operations to better pursue its mission." Matthew Bronfman said he was "looking forward to the future" and working "side-by-side to advance the WJC's critical mission on behalf of Jews everywhere," adding: "We will achieve this by working directly with the communities in a process marked by transparency and integrity." Outgoing WJC President Edgar M. Bronfman welcomed the new alliance, saying: "These two distinguished servants of the Jewish people on their united commitment to lead the World Jewish Congress to a promising future." The release outlined the joint platform proposed by the two men, which includes the "re-establish the WJC as the world's premier representative of Jewish communities and the Jewish people throughout the world, and upholding the highest levels of integrity in the administration, governance and policy of the WJC."

The candidates also pledged to "combat global anti-Semitism and anti-Semitism cloaked in anti-Zionism," and to "combat the growing threat of Iran to the Jewish people and Israel."